From Italy to Ireland

This past week has been such a whirlwind of emotions that I feel like I’ve barely even had time to breathe!

·      Finals done.

·      Moved out of my apartment.

·      Had a fantastic and much needed visit from my good friend,Morgan.

·      Left Florence. :(

·      Jetted off to Ireland!

I can’t even begin to process the fact that I am done with the “study” part of my time abroad. Packing up, saying final goodbyes, and departing from Florence was one of those moments you don’t want to believe is actually happening. Although it was difficult to see this part of my experience come to an end, I was beyond excited for a new round of adventures to begin.

First stop of my 3-week travel extravaganza: Ireland!

 Ireland has been on my to-go list for a long time. I’ve seen the picturesque landscape in movies and craved it. Ireland is exactly how the movies depict it. It has rolling hills, meadows with sheep, cliffs that jut out one after another. It’s windy, then it’s still, then it’s rainy, then it’s sunny. Only in Ireland can you get the four seasons within five minutes!

 Our first stop in Ireland was Galway. I think I could have stayed there for months and been content. It sits right on the sea, the locals are kind, the shops are quaint, the accents melt your heart and the pubs are well… very Irish! I don’t think I have ever fallen in love with a city as quickly as I did with Galway.

 After arriving, we met up with my friend from school, Gillian, who has been living and studying in Galway for the past semester. She graciously took us under her wing, showing us the ins and outs of the city, her favorite hangout spots and where to find the best restaurants and shops. 

On our second day in Galway, Meghan and I started the day out early by making our way to the Aran Islands. Anyone whom I've spoken to about this excursion had nothing but positive things to say. While on the ride to the island, it was pouring rain, but luck was on our side because by the time we got on the island, the sun was shining and skies were blue.

Meg and I rented bikes and spent the day exploring the island and hiking up to the massive, majestic cliffs that give you panoramic views of the island and the Atlantic.

After returning from the Aran Islands, we met up with Gillian and some of her friends at their favorite pub where we spent the night listening to live music and made friends with some locals. And as the Irish would say, great ‘craic’ (fun) was had!

My time in Galway was everything I could have hoped for and more. I think it’s safe to say that the bar is now set quite high for my remaining travels! 

Comfort Zones

In one of my fashion photography classes, our assignment was a little different than normal. We were told to step out from behind the camera and play the role of the model for a day and photograph each other versus a professional model. I was a tad apprehensive about this at first. I have always preferred being behind the camera and tense up when it’s my turn be photographed. That being said, if there is one thing I can take away from my experience studying abroad, it’s that sometimes we need to get out of our comfort zone, even if it means being uncomfortable.

 

  One of the greatest things about study abroad is that it forces you to step out of your comfort zone. Whether that means cooking for the first time, climbing what seems like an insurmountable mountain, or learning the ins and outs of a completely unfamiliar city, study abroad really tests your patience and your persistence.

 I thought I had it all figured out. My mental checklist was complete, my tour guidebooks were packed, and I had exhausted myself with endless Google and Pinterest searches on what this whole study abroad experience was all about.

I have to say that all of these things gave me a great foundation for coming to Florence, but study abroad is an experience you can only have by actually doing it; I can't express this enough. Nothing I read could have prepared me for the wonderful things I have experienced, the cultural and language glitches I've laughed over, and the people here that have impacted me in such a short time. I cannot imagine going through the rest of my academic career without having broadened my scope of the world.

I'm still in disbelief that there is only week left of school. Time goes by much to quick here and I just wish it would slow down! Wish me luck as I spend the next few days buried in finals and packing!

Where did the time go?

A letter I received from my dad the other day left me the sudden realization that my time here is almost up. One month. Just one month. I have reached the point in the semester where there is more time behind me than before me. It's hard to wrap my brain around the fact that there is only a month left until I return to the States. 

You could say it's finally hit me that I am leaving soon. I'm beginning to question myself too much. Have I gone all the places I want to go? Am I using my time wisely? Am I doing well enough in school? Have I learned enough Italian? How am I going to say goodbye to all the friends I have made here? How am I going to adjust to going back to the States?

Like many other study abroad students around me, I’ve had my fair share of “oh my gosh it's almost over” moments (particularly this week). But what I’ve come to realize is that I should be looking forward to what I have planned for the remainder of my time abroad and take advantage of all that’s laid in front of me.

Here's a glimpse into what the next month looks like for me...

-A week and a half of class left.

-Too many finals and projects.

-Too many goodbyes I don't want to say.

-Too much gelato needed to be eaten.

-A visit from my good friend, Morgan!

-A 2 week adventure with Meghan to Ireland, Scotland, and Paris.

-Meeting up with my family in Switzerland and traveling with them for a week!

-Back to Florence one last time...

-Fly home!

Seriously, where did the time go?!

Hidden Gems of Europe

Because traveling in Europe is such a vast place, many end up hopping between the most well-known cities (London, Barcelona, Paris, Munich, Amsterdam, Rome – sound familiar?) but never explore beneath the surface into what this continent, particularly the Eastern fringes, really has to offer.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to discover two of Europe's hidden gems: Split, Croatia and Mostar, Bosnia. To be honest, neither of these two countries were on my radar of places to visit while here. But when a couple friends and I were searching for places to visit, we stumbled upon Croatia and eagerly jumped at the chance to explore an entirely different kind of country. I found excitement in the fact that I had no idea what I would encounter!

Getting to Croatia consisted of a lengthy, overnight, 12 hour bus ride that we were quite happy to get off of by the time we arrived the following morning. After freshening up, we set out to discover all that Croatia had to offer. 

Split, Croatia is a charming old town made up mostly of a giant old Roman Palace. The buildings were all made of ancient stone with orange clay roofs and the streets were small, winding, and seemed to offer endless new discoveries. 

Our day was well spent walking along the water, dining on local cuisine and basking in the sun. (When there were breaks from the rain that is!) What I loved most about Split was its' proximity to the coast, as well as being surrounded by a small mountain range. 

The next morning, we awoke early, hopped on another bus, and headed to Mostar, Bosnia!

We spent our time walking down the friendly pedestrianized street full of mosques and markets and  eventually found ourselves in front of Mostar’s most famous monument, the old bridge.

On our final day in Croatia, we headed for Krka National Park, about 2 hours away from Split. I didn't know much about where we were going, but was pleasantly surprised to discover the majestic scenery before me. Wooden paths, waterfalls, clear green-blue waters, greenery and nature everywhere you look. It was nice to spend time in such an incredibly serene setting. 

After our time at Krka was up, it was back on the bus for another 12 hour bus ride back home to Florence!

Hi ho hi ho..it's off to the Alps I go!

 After spending a day in the Tuscan countryside, I was up in the wee hours of the morning to set off on yet another great adventure. Destination: The Italian Alps, Lake Garda and Verona.

 Driving through the Alps of Italy was nothing short of spectacular. Our first stop was Trento, a quaint and winsome city cupped between the Dolomite mountains. The town and scenery it offered was incredible; snow capped mountains, trickling rivers and streams, medieval arches and alleyways, it seemed almost surreal. Our day was spent off the beaten path as we hiked our way through the dense woods and towering mountains.

 The next morning, we made our way to the largest lake in Italy: Lake Garda. When it comes to beautiful lakeside scenery, stunning mountain backdrops and picturesque towns and villages, Lake Garda is a breathtaking sight not to be missed.

After a wonderful couple of hours by the lake, we headed for our last destination: Verona.

 There are so many self-proclaimed cities of love – Paris, Venice, and even Florence have been some of the most romantic destinations, But to visit the birthplace of Romeo and Juliet is something most of us would have to have on our bucket lists.

 Verona was like a step back in time and really captured the true history of Italy.